Techniques to receive top ratings as a host

We all know the links between top ratings
and amount of money making potential a space has. Achieving top ratings as a
host can be difficult, however, especially with so much competition and high
guest standards to contend with. Ratings typically depend on key factors
including the overall experience a guest has, cleanliness, accuracy, value,
communication, arrival experience, and location. Here are a few ways you can up
your game when it comes to a couple of these key factors:

Overall
experience:

When it comes to the
overall experience, think about what it might be like to arrive to your space
with no prior knowledge of your neighborhood, home, culture, or space. Think of
the experience of staying in your home as an moving event like a wedding with
all the bells and whistles, instead of a stationary place. What would that full
experience include? What is it like to walk to your space? Park for your space?
Walk in the front door? How comfortable is your bed? Have you “tested” the full
experience of staying in your space as a guest? Think about the last time you
stayed at someone else’s home - what was missing? How did you feel? What would
have made your stay better? Really analyzing your space from this perspective
can help you create a fullfive star
experience from beginning to checkout.

Sometimes little tokens
also go a long way, such as welcoming signs, complimentary snacks, and extra
pillows. Have a good coffee maker and leave a free supply of coffee for their
first morning at least. If possible offer a Roku TV so guests can access their
own YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix accounts. It is a good idea to learn about
what other hosts are offering, and check our communities like Free products for Hosts to make it affordable to provide some of these amenities.

You may not think of it
as very important, but your tips can also make or break the experience your
guest has in your area. Give tips about where locals go, brochures about local
activities, a list of great cafes and which ones are close to the space, places
with fire places or cool down spots, best restaurants or hot spots in popular
nearby areas, best burger joints or wood-fired ovens, and new restaurants to
check out, especially within walking distance.

Cleanliness:

This is probably the most
criticized element of a vacation rental. You may think your cleanliness
standards are high, but how can you get even better? Sometimes the quality of
the items in your space can make all the difference. Towels and bed sheets are
especially key. Research tips online to keep them fluffy or smooth and
spotless. You can also create a checklist to make sure you don’t miss anything.
In the end, sometimes going with highly-rated professional cleaners can make it
worth your money, because the higher your ratings the more money you are likely
to make.

Communication:

Hosts who achieve
superhost status or 5 stars are often amazing communicators both online and in
person. Most are available 24-7, never miss any messages, and find a systematic
way to stay in touch, like using the listing platform app. Always communicate over
the platform you have your listing on so that there is a record (just in case)
of what is said. When you provide check-in instructions have a friend or two
test them out to make sure everything is crystal clear. Don’t forget to tell
people how to turn the TV on, access wifi, or work any other device (i.e. heat)
in your space. These small elements can make a huge difference to the comfort
and ease of a guests’ stay. Overall, make everything easy and concise for
guests by providing self-checkin, simple house rules in the original listing, a
folder with wifi and any remote control directions.

Also know how to tailor
your communication, and the frequency of it, to your guests. Experienced
younger travelers frequently don’t want very much interaction with hosts. Most
often this demographic will arrive and never communicate after self checkin.
Older, less experienced Airbnb guests may want to converse more, and so you
will be able to meet their needs better if you understand individualized
traveler types.

Bio:
Cherise Tolbert is the Community Curator for Free Products for Hosts, a new
community for AirBnB and other vacation rental website superhosts. Cherise
specializes in social media and communications and has a master’s from the S.I.
Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She is also a
well published blogger who writes on various topics.